FSLogix and Windows Search Issues in Server 2022

Question

Hi All,

There are quite a few archived forums regarding this issue, however I am hoping someone can help. I am using FSLogix with Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop Services. The environment is simple, with two session host servers and a file server hosting the user profile VHDs. I am not using FSLogix cloudcache, therefore profiles are mounted and dismounted over the network at logon/logoff. It's working great, except for issues with the Search Index!

Some common threads here which I have reviewed in detail.
https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/a9b5000d-e2a8-442b-9cbf-48e05136f732/support-for-server-2019-and-office-2019-search-roaming?forum=FSLogix
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/e87a25c5-71b8-412a-ba82-b7fa07a7363b/windows-search-changes-in-server-2019-rds?forum=winserverTS
https://jkindon.com/windows-search-in-server-2019-and-multi-session-windows-10/

As per https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fslogix/configure-search-roaming-ht I am aware that FSLogix no longer requires a specific configuration in place for search roaming as per user search is now native to server 2019/2022, therefore I have configured the following. I actually read that the latest version ignores these settings anyway, so if they are enabled via registry or GPO they are simply ignored.

FSLogix > Enable search roaming > Disabled
FSLogix/Office 365 Containers > Store search database in Office 365 container > Disabled
FSLogix/Profile Containers > Store search database in profile container > Disabled

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Search\EnablePerUserCatalog=(dword)1 - I can prob remove this as 1 just means per user, which is default. I just set to 1 as I have previously tested by setting to 0 which sets the index to machine wide. Still had the same issues.

Anyway I know its working per user as I can see the EDB file created in AppData for each user:
C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\S-SID...

From all accounts, the index is working and is built for the user, however ONLY if the Windows Search service (set to auto) is restarted while the user is logged in. As the user logs out, I can see in the event log.

event ID 1 / Search-ProfileNotify is thrown: Windows Search Service indexed data for user 'domain\user' successfully removed in response to user profile deletion.
I suspect this may be a normal event due to the profile being dismounted and removed from the RDSH server.

Following that the Search Service needs to be restarted before seeing event id 326:
The database engine attached a database (2, C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Search\Data\Applications\S-sid.edb). (Time=0 seconds)

I realise some of the other forums suggest just using a scheduled task to restart the search service every time this ID is thrown... which I can do... but the issue is even if the user logs back in, event ID 326 is not seen for that user until the service is restarted again. I can confirm the index is not all that healthy as from outlook if you select Search Tools > Indexing Status, its just stuck on Loading... forever until you restart the service and then it gives the correct status, will continue to index and write to the .edb files above etc.

So restarting the windows search service only seems to apply to users that are already logged in. I realise I could run a scheduled task to restart the service at logon too, but I thought better to reach out to the community to see if anyone actually has a resolution for this!! Microsoft, if you're listening, it would be such a great thing to fix for us all!!

Hope to hear from someone having a similar experience.

Cheers.

Answer 1

Hi, I do have an update.

Last information I got on my Microsoft case is this:

We are narrowing it down. This looks like a race condition. (We had something similar in the past) It seems we fail to mount the profile in searchindexer ( for the per user database ) Escalation Engineer is trying to find where it happens. Then we will engage the PG.

So they are still on the case. For now, we keep restarting the Windows Search service at user shell start with a gpo reducing the indexable locations.

@Martijn Kools Not using Windows Search when using Outlook breaks all advanced searching (like searching "from:"), which our users depend heavely on, so disabling it leaves us with too many unhappy users :). However, I've been through the previous break / fix / break / fix cycle as well, but still ... :D.

Answer 2

Hello,

I can confirm that behavior. We have it too.

Running Win 2022 as Citrix VDA and FSLogix 2201 hotfix 2.

I am not sure if this is a FSLogix issue, seems to me more like a Win 2022 issue, but I have not tested it without FSLogix, so it is just an assumption.

BR

Tobias

Answer 3

Hi,

Last update I got was this:

"We found the issue. PG is informed.

Waiting on their feedback."

Hopefully the product group fixes it very soon.

Answer 4

Hi again,

The latest update I got was this:

Hello Bart,   Just a quick update, customers are piling up on the work item. We have a lot of business impact now. Still no release date but things are getting traction here.   As soon as we have feedback from the product group I will let you know.

The more calls they get, the better :).

Answer 5

Hello

We also have this issue on all Server 2022. The issue shows mainly in Outlook no being able to use the Windows search feature (no option for search, indexing shows no status, ..)

I also opened a case about this, I hope they will solve this soon ! It's been there from the start with Server 2022 this is a bad joke..